How To Find the Wood from the Trees with A New Laptop!

Making the decision to buy a new laptop is a fun time, and you should enjoy your search knowing that you will come out of it with a cool new device to enjoy for several years.

Whatever you need your laptop to do for you, you will find the best approach to finding the wood from the trees as you cut through the mire of the PC market to find the best machine for you.

Although people are using smartphone apps to manage their lives more often than they ever have before, laptops still hold a valuable place for many people.

With demand unrelenting for the traditional laptop, designs are becoming slicker, options more modular, and battery life longer. Keyboards are more responsive, touchscreen functionality is sharper, and designs more lightweight.

In short, you will be impressed with what is available if you have not kept up to speed with the laptop market for a few years. 

Contents

The laptop market made simple

For all the marketing and hype surrounding the laptop market, it can actually be whittled down to a few sub-categories. From heavy duty gaming notebooks on the heaviest end (both in terms of physical weight and price) to amazingly light ultra-portables, there really is something to fit every use case.

In between, 2-in-1 devices give users the flexibility to detach the keyboard in order to have a tablet functionality. Chromebooks and lower end laptops ensure there is a solution available for every size budget. 

Finding the right fit for your budget

Whatever you can afford to spend on your new machine, there is something certain – there is a laptop out there for you. You just need to think about how you use it, and how you want it to perform.

You may actually not want flashy features or an expensive device. This may because you simply want a robust family machine that the whole family can use without risk of damage. Or architects may need a cheaper device to work with onsite to view technical drawings without risking damage to a more expensive device.

If you go for a lower end option, just be aware that you will only be able to carry out basic functions. You will also likely only be able to have 1-2 web browser windows open at the same time. If that is a potential problem for you, it is probably advisable to go for a slightly higher specification device. 

From $1,000 upwards

The world is your oyster with a budget of $1,000 or more. Within this price range you can take your pick from the best, most modern laptop features available.

The trick here is to figure out your priorities. You can go for a larger screen, but know you will pay the price in terms of battery life and weight. Similarly, you could go for a smaller screen, but know that you will not get quite the same experience as with a larger screen. That said, you can always connect a larger monitor with Bluetooth or an HDMI connection while you are working from home.

That brings us nicely to the question of ports. You may opt for a laptop with Bluetooth connectivity. Alternatively, you may wish to have the option to physically connect peripherals by USB cables. 

What kind of guarantees do you want?

Most modern laptops, even those at the lowest end of the price spectrum, come with at least 6 months manufacturers’ warranty. This can usually be increased at an additional cost.

There are usually other options available such as accidental damage cover, theft or spillage. How much insurance you take out will depend largely on how much you invest on your laptop, and how much you need to transport it around with you.

To round up

You will be faced with a multitude of options as you search for a new laptop. Of course, this is a good thing as you simply cannot fail to find something that fits your needs. The bad news is that it can take some time to figure out which option is the perfect fit for you.

As you get into the pricing stage of your decision, shop around online to see which retailers are offering the best bargains. While you will often find the prices to be similar for the main manufacturers, you may be able to find software bundles or firewalls that can enrich your purchase. For Windows laptops, these often include Microsoft 365 personal, which gives you access to Word, Excel, PowerPoint and various collaboration tools for work and personal administration.